Shimidzu learns very quickly； and I look to see him a great factor in the
game in future years。
Both Shimidzu and Kumagae are marvellous court coverers； and seem
absolutely untiring。 They are 〃getters〃 of almost unbelievable activity； and
accurate to a point that seems uncanny。 Both men hit to the lines with a
certainty that makes it very dangerous to attempt to take the net on
anything except a deep forcing shot that hurries them。
With such players as Kumagae and Shimidzu； followed by S。 Kashio
and K。 Yamasaki； and the late H。 Mikami； Japan is a big factor in future
tennis。 1922 will again see Japan challenging for the Davis Cup； and none
but a first…class team can stop them。 The advent of a Japanese team with
such players will mean that this year we must call out our best to repel the
Oriental invasion： so competition receives another stimulus that should
raise our standard of play。
The probability of journeying to Japan to challenge for the Davis Cup
is not so remote but that we must consider it as a future possibility。
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CHAPTER XV。 SPAIN AND THE CONTINENT
Spain
A new factor entered the arena of world tennis in 1921 in the
appearance of a Spanish Davis Cup team。 Among their number is a star
who bids fair to become one of the greatest players the world has ever
seen。 A scintillating personality； brilliant versatile game； and fighting
temperament placed this young unknown in the first rank in one year of
competition。
MANUEL ALONZO
Seldom have I seen such wonderful natural abilities as are found in
this young Spaniard。 Here is a player par excellence if he develops as he
gives promise。 Alonzo is young； about 25； slight； attractive in personality
and court manners； quick to the point of almost miraculous court covering。
He is a great attraction at any tournament。
His service is a fairly fast American twist。 It is not remarkable but is at
least more severe than the average continental delivery。
Alonzo has a terrific forehand drive that is the closest rival to W。 M。
Johnston's of any shot I have seen。 He is reliable on this stroke； either
straight or cross…court from the deep court but if drawn in to mid…court is
apt to miss it。 His backhand is a flat drive； accurate and low but rather
slow and in the main defensive。
His volleying is at once a joy and a disappointment。 Such marvellous
angles and stop volleys off difficult drives！ Yet immediately on top of a
dazzling display Alonzo will throw away the easiest sort of a high volley
by a pitiable fluke。
His overhead is at once severe； deadly and reliable。 He smashes with
speed and direction。 It is not only in his varied stroke equipment that
Alonzo is great but in his marvellous footwork。 Such speed of foot and
lightning turning I have never before seen on a tennis court。 He is a
quicker man than Norman E。 Brookes and higher praise I cannot give。 I
look to see Alonzo； who today loses matches through lack of resource；
become by virtue of experience and tournament play the greatest player on
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the continent。
His brother； J。 M。 Alonzo； although nowhere in Manuel's class； is a
fine all court player as are Count de Gomar and Flaquer； the remaining
members of the Cup team。 If Alonzo and his teammates are an indication
of the type of players Spain is developing a new and powerful factor in the
tennis world is entering the field to stay。
Some Other Champions
There are some individual players of interest from the countries where
tennis as a game has not reached a place worthy of national analysation
but who deserve mention among the great players of the world。
First among them comes Nicholas Mishu of Rumania。
N。 MISHU
What can I say of Mishu？ As a tennis player he defies analysis。 His
game is a freak。 He adores to do the unusual and his game abounds in
freak shots that Mishu executes with remarkable skill。 He has many and
varied services； underhand cuts； fore and backhand； a 〃push〃 off his nose；
and even one serve where he turns his back on the court and serves the
ball back over his head。
His drives are cramped in swing and hit with excessive top spin。 His
footwork is a defiance of all rules。 His volleying game looks like an
accident； yet Mishu produces results。 In 1921 he beat A。 H。 Gobert in the
World's Hard Court Championship at St。 Cloud。 Mishu is a winner。 I don't
know how he does it but he does。 He is above all a unique personality。
Cheery； individual； at times eccentric； Mishu is a popular figure in
tournaments abroad。 He plays with a verve and abandon that appeals to the
European galleries while his droll humour and good nature make him a
delightful opponent。
J。 WASHER
Belgium is represented by J。 Washer； my opponent in the final round
of the Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921。 Washer is a fine
orthodox tennis player。 His service is a well placed twist delivery of
medium pace。 He has a terrific forehand drive that gains in effectiveness
owing to the fact he is a left…hander。 Like so many players with a
pronounced strength； he covers up an equally pronounced weakness by
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using the strength。 Washer has a very feeble backhand for so fine a player。
He pokes his backhand when he is unable to run around it。
His overhead is strong； speedy and reliable。 His volleying lacks punch
and steadiness。 He has had little tournament experience and shows
promise of great improvement if given the opportunity。
E。 TEGNER
Denmark is represented by a player of promise and skill in the person
of E。 Tegner。 This young star defeated W。 H。 Laurentz at St。 Cloud in the
Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921 when the latter was holder
of the title。
Tegner is a baseline player of fine style。 His strokes are long free
drives of fine pace and depth。 His service is hardly adequate for first flight
tennis； yet while his ground game cannot make up for the lack of
aggression in his net attack。 Tegner is not of championship quality at the
moment but his youth allows him plenty of time to acquire that
tournament experience needed to fill in the gaps in his game。 He is a cool；
clever court general and should develop rapidly within the next few years。
H。 L。 DE MORPURGO
The Italian champion； H。 L。 de Morpurgo； is a product of his own
country and England where he attended college。 He is a big； rangy man of
great strength。 He uses a terrific service of great speed but little control on
his first ball and an exaggerated American twist on the second of such
extreme contortion that even his great frame wears down under it。
His ground game is of flat drives that lack sufficient pace and accuracy
to allow him to reap the full benefit of his really excellent net attack。 His
volleying is very good owing to his great reach。 His overhead； like his
service； is hard but erratic。 Unfortunately he is slow on his feet and thus
loses much of the advantage of his large reach。 He seems to lack
confidence in his game but that should come with more experience。
A。 ZERLENDI
Tennis in Greece。 No！ not in ancient times but in modern； for that little
country has a remarkable little baseline star； by name A。 Zerlendi。 This
man is a baseliner of the most pronounced type。 He gets everything he can
put his racquet to。 He reminds me irresistibly of Mavrogordato； seemingly
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reaching nothing yet they all come back。 I cannot adequately analyse his
game because his first principle is to put back the ball no matter how； and
this he carries into excellent effect。 Zerlendi is a match winner first and a
stylist second。
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CHAPTER XVI。 THE COLONIES
Australasia
The death of that sterling sportsman； Anthony F。 Wilding； and the
natural decline in the playing powers of Norman E。 Brookes； owing to the
advance of years and his war experiences； leave Australasia （Australia and
New Zealand） in a somewhat uncertain condition regarding its tennis
prospects。
NORMAN E。 BROOKES
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